O'Neil Bell
Encyclopedia
O'Neil "Super Nova" Bell (born December 29, 1974) is a boxer who is a former undisputed cruiserweight champion, having held the WBA
, WBC
, IBF
, and The Ring
magazine cruiserweight titles.
He defeated former IBF champion Arthur Williams
twice by KO and climbed the rankings.
He defeated Canadian Dale Brown in a controversial but unanimous decision on May 20, 2005 on Friday Night Fights to capture the vacant IBF
title.
He unified the belts by beating Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck, on January 7, 2006, for his WBA
and WBC
belts making Bell the second undisputed
champion of the division, with Evander Holyfield
being the first.
The IBF later stripped Bell in April 2006 for pulling out of a mandatory bout against Steve Cunningham
because of a tooth problem. After nearly 11 months of inactivity, Bell was due to take part in the postponed Superfighter Tournament
at heavyweight on December 1 of that year.
Bell lost the WBA and WBC belts to Jean-Marc Mormeck on March 17, 2007 in the Frenchman's backyard in Levallois
, France
via a close but unanimous decision.
On April 19, 2008, in Poland
, Bell fought former WBC light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek
. Bell was dropped in the first round and quit after the end of round seven, citing that he was feeling dizzy and sick.
After the Adamek fight, Bell announced his move to the heavyweight division, saying that making the cruiserweight limit sapped his strength for his last two fights. Bell's first heavyweight bout was scheduled to be against Willie Palms
on January 14, 2009, but that fight never occurred, and the Adamek loss remains Bell's last fight as of early 2010.
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World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
, WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
, and The Ring
The Ring (magazine)
The Ring is an American boxing magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing and wrestling magazine. As the sporting legitimacy of professional wrestling came more into question, The Ring shifted to becoming exclusively a boxing oriented publication...
magazine cruiserweight titles.
Professional career
Bell lost his second fight against an Algerian amateur star (M.Benguesima) but kept winning for years after that.He defeated former IBF champion Arthur Williams
Arthur Williams (boxer)
Arthur "King" James Williams is a professional boxer .Williams became professional in 1989 and fell short in his first shot at a major championship title, a 1994 split-decision loss to Orlin Norris for the World Boxing Association Cruiserweight Title. Williams was knocked out in the third round...
twice by KO and climbed the rankings.
He defeated Canadian Dale Brown in a controversial but unanimous decision on May 20, 2005 on Friday Night Fights to capture the vacant IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
title.
He unified the belts by beating Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck, on January 7, 2006, for his WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
and WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
belts making Bell the second undisputed
Undisputed Champion
In professional boxing, the undisputed champion of a weight class is a boxer who is recognized as the world champion at that class by each boxing organization.-History:...
champion of the division, with Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
being the first.
The IBF later stripped Bell in April 2006 for pulling out of a mandatory bout against Steve Cunningham
Steve Cunningham
Steven Ormain Cunningham is an American professional boxer. Nicknamed USS Cunningham in reference to his 1994–1998 US Navy service on the aircraft carriers and .-Amateur career:...
because of a tooth problem. After nearly 11 months of inactivity, Bell was due to take part in the postponed Superfighter Tournament
Superfighter
Superfighter is a heavyweight professional boxing tournament, originally scheduled to occur on December 2, 2006 in Melbourne, Australia.The winner of the tournament, decided via a 4-round elimination system, is to be awarded a final prize of $5 million dollars...
at heavyweight on December 1 of that year.
Bell lost the WBA and WBC belts to Jean-Marc Mormeck on March 17, 2007 in the Frenchman's backyard in Levallois
Levallois
Levallois may refer to:*Levallois-Perret, a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France.*Levallois technique *Nicolas-Eugène Levallois*Levallois SC, a current French football club...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
via a close but unanimous decision.
On April 19, 2008, in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Bell fought former WBC light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek
Tomasz Adamek
Tomasz Adamek is a Polish professional heavyweight boxer. His record is 44-2 .He is the former WBC world light heavyweight champion and the former IBF, IBO and The Ring magazine cruiserweight champion. As of the end of 2009, Ring Magazine has ranked Adamek as the 30th best boxer in the world...
. Bell was dropped in the first round and quit after the end of round seven, citing that he was feeling dizzy and sick.
After the Adamek fight, Bell announced his move to the heavyweight division, saying that making the cruiserweight limit sapped his strength for his last two fights. Bell's first heavyweight bout was scheduled to be against Willie Palms
Willie Palms
-Amateur career:Palms had a stellar amateur career, and won the U.S. National Championships as Super Heavyweight champion in 1997.-Professional career:Palms turned pro in 1997 and won his first nine bouts, before losing a decision to Jean-Francois Bergeron in 2001...
on January 14, 2009, but that fight never occurred, and the Adamek loss remains Bell's last fight as of early 2010.
Outside the Ring
On February 5, 2007, Bell allegedly threw an axe at his sparring partner, Larry Slayton, while training in the woods of Big Bear, California. He was subsequently arrested on the count of assault with a deadly weapon http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=2755686.Bell AWOL
According to ESPN's Wednesday Night Fights on August 8, 2007, Bell, who was originally scheduled to appear, was not been able to be reached. He was scheduled to fight Louis Azille on the fight card, but his promoter pulled him from the fight three weeks prior because he could not be located.See also
- List of WBC world champions
- List of undisputed boxing champions
- Reigning boxing champions
External links
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